Council gets out of child minding

COUNCIL officials say a decision to offload childcare services is about doing what is best for Sunshine Coast children, not about saving money.

The council will next year pass its Caloundra and Noosa childcare services to the not-for-profit organisation C&K, which took control of the former Maroochy Council childcare centres almost three years ago.

That move in 2007 was designed to stop the council losing $850,000 a year on childcare services, but the council’s manager of community partnerships, Eric Moes, said there was no such problem with the programs being passed on to C&K.

“It really is not a cost-saving measure at all,” he said.

“The Tewantin and Caloundra centres have been run very effectively and some years have made a slight surplus and other years have needed slight subsidisation.

“This is about providing the best possible childcare service for Coast families.”

C&K will take control of Caloundra Childcare Centre, North Caloundra Childcare Centre and Tewantin Childcare Centre as well as the Noosa Leisure Centre School Aged Care and the Bicentennial Community Centre School Aged Care in Sunshine Beach.

The handover, which is subject to final negotiations and approvals, is expected to take place next April.

The council’s service delivery chairman Paul Tatton said councils set up child care centres more than 35 years ago to fill a market gap.

But times had changed.

“A well-regarded, professional early education provider such as C&K that specialises in this field is better placed to provide professional development and in-house training than local government,” he said.

The council was committed to keeping families informed of the change and ensuring job security for staff.

“Council’s aim is to give families the best deal and C&K has a proven record in delivering excellent services and reinvesting in the community and our children,” Mr Tatton said.

Council staff would work with C&K to ensure the quality of care continued through the changeover.